A Place More Familiar
by LunaBeth203
Summary: Hidden and carefree – this had been what Andromeda and Ted's relationship had been like. What had changed the untainted couple? Watch as they turn from the innocence of childhood to the frightening reality of the real world all because of one wrong act.
1. Prologue

**A Place More Familiar**

Ted/Andromeda

For the Title Challenge.

**Prologue **

Andromeda had been raised as a proud, Muggle-hating, Black. She used to idolise her elder sister; as a child , Bellatrix was the one who filled their parents with pride, with her cruel ways and twisted humour - a perfect Black – and Narcissa was her parent's angel, the sweet child who knew her roots and silently accepted the family traditions. Andromeda was the middle child, the awkward one. She knew her place and she was proud but she simply couldn't use the crucio curse on the Muggles their parents brought to the house for "practise" as Bella could, and neither could she stand quietly being the angelic daughter that Narcissa was; Andromeda was clumsy and, as her parents put it, too soft for her own good. Cygnus and Druella Black, however, were able to hide their child's weakness from their fellow Death Eaters. She was merely excused as a pretty face with a slightly dim girl behind it.

Andromeda wished that she could be like the others in her family, but she simply wasn't. Her cousin Sirius Black was her favourite, he didn't ever seem disappointed by her; he simply asked her to play with him and she was the one he went crying to after his parents beat him for making friends with muggles, for he didn't understand why he shouldn't.

When Andromeda's Hogwarts letter finally came she was determined she would get into Slytherin – how could she possibly be put anywhere else?

Ted Tonks was an average boy, he went to school with his friends, he played football, then he came home. So when his Hogwarts letter, he was more than shocked; he was terrified. First he had the job of telling his friends why he wasn't going to the secondary school with them as they had always planned. He told them he was going to a selective boarding school in Scotland which his Grandparents had gone to and that it was in their will – which he had heard at their recent funeral – that they wished for him to go there too. Although his friends had readily accepted this lie Ted felt awful telling it. Ted's parents were very supportive about the whole "magic" thing and Ted couldn't help but feel the excitement building inside him and, secretly, he couldn't hide the feel of dread weighing down on him – what if nobody liked him? What if it turned out he wasn't really a wizard?

**A/N – All right, I know this is extremely short but it is the prologue and I promise I am going to try and get all my next chapters about four pages long (this is about half a page). This was just a short introduction to the characters. Thank you for reading, please leave a review. XD**


	2. First Year

**First Year**

"Black, Andromeda." Professor McGonagall - the thin lipped, Gryffindor Head of House - called.

Andromeda felt fear rising within her once again, what if she wasn't put in Slytherin? She could see Bellatrix watching her, a sneer fixed upon her face surrounded by dark feral curls. Taking a deep breath Andromeda tried to walk steadily up to the Sorting Hat, but, apparently, her centre of gravity wasn't having any of that; she tripped over a minuscule crack in the stone tiles of the Great Hall floor. Cursing vehemently, Andromeda brushed off the sniggers of the other students as she righted herself before sitting, straight-backed, on the small three legged stool. Drawing her breath in, Andromeda waited anxiously as McGonagall placed the hat on her head, where it slipped comfortably over her eyes.

_Is there a reason for it to cover your eyes? _Andromeda questioned herself, _maybe it is so you do not feel pressured by family members, but that is ridiculous; I can think of nothing more. _

_Ah, the intellectual curiosity of a Ravenclaw I see, perhaps that would be a good fit. You are certainly a puzzle Miss Black; before when I have sorted Blacks they all fit Slytherin perfectly but I see you as a more... complex mind. _

_No! _Andromeda thought as powerfully as she could, for she wouldn't been seen talking to the hat as all the Muggleborns did – she refused to use the term Mudblood, although she would never admit that to her parents. _I am a Slytherin, it is in my blood, I refuse to go anywhere else, I am a Slytherin so just do your stupid job and shout Slytherin._

_Feisty, _The Sorting Hat commented,_ you may do fine in Slytherin, I agree, but I still think Ravenclaw would be a much better suit._

_Slytherin._ Andromeda's thoughts were practically spitting fire at the Sorting Hat by now.

_If you are certain, I shall trust your judgement. _"Slytherin!" The Sorting Hat called to the Hall at large. There was a collection of cheering but Andromeda watched as Bellatrix sat giving a few careless claps before returning to her conversation with her classmates. Ignoring the sharp pang she felt from this action Andromeda slipped in next to a scrawny mousey haired boy.

"Hello," he mumbled.

"Hello, my name's Andromeda Black," she greeted, fiddling with her dark braid.

"I'm Ben Anderson," he muttered. Andromeda frowned slightly upon hearing the surname; she did not know of any Andersons, he must be a muggleborn or at least a half-blood. Seeing her frown Ben muttered, "I'm a half-blood," with a look of distaste on his face he turned to the sorting, where Rowen Jones had just be pronounced as a Gryffindor.

"I'm a pure-blood, but as you are a Slytherin I guess we could be friends," Andromeda acknowledged.

"All right then," he replied in consent. Andromeda gave a slightly haughty nod before applauding Lucius Malfoy who was sauntering over to join them at the Slytherin table.

"Hello Lucius," Andromeda greeted politely.

"Andromeda," Lucius nodded. "Half-blood scum," he sneered at Ben.

"Hey," Andromeda frowned.

"Hello Andromeda," Lucius said again slowly, his eyebrows raised.

"I didn't mean it like that," Andromeda snapped, "I mean - hey, that's my friends don't talk to him like that."

"Oh deary me," Lucius smirked lightly - inclining his head to Bellatrix, who was sitting half way up the table. "Not making friends with the likes of him already are we?" He said in disappointment, when he had his attention once again concentrated on Andromeda.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Andromeda growled in a dangerous tone.

"Oh, get a cage." Lucius threw back carelessly, his attention on the Sorting again.

"Tonks, Ted." McGonagall announced as a slight, fair haired boy walked up to the Sorting Had, his hands trembling with nerves.

"He's a Mudblood that one, you can tell." Lucius commented, adjusting the velvet green ribbon holding his long platinum blonde hair in a pony tail. Andromeda shrugged off this judgement with a mere flair of annoyance.

"Hufflepuff!" The Sorting Hat shouted.

"How unpredictable," Lucius drawled sarcastically. Andromeda finally snapped.

"I have had it up to here with you and your snarky comments!" She shouted waving her hand about her head to emphases her point. "Why don't you just save your breath because nobody cares!" She yelled, a deadpan silence filled the Great Hall. McGonagall cleared her throat loudly, trying to draw the attention back to the final calls of the Sorting, but the damage had been done – glances were constantly thrown back to Andromeda and Lucius. Blushing, Andromeda looked down inspecting her long fingers trying to avoid the stares of Ben, Lucius and the other Slytherins.

After two more names had been called a piece of parchment fell into Andromeda's lap.

_Stop disgracing the family name over your stupid Mudblood, Hufflepuff boyfriend. Apologise to Malfoy and at least try to appear gracious. Or else._

_Bellatrix_

_Great, _Andromeda thought to herself, _she had been in Hogwarts for not even an hour and she was getting threats from Bella already. What a great way to start her Hogwarts life._

"I apologise Lucius, that was out of order and I acted wrongly, I should not have been so rude. Will you forgive me?" Andromeda asked, trying to keep the dull monotone out of her voice.

"I accept your apology, I have always known you were not the best wand in the shop, if you get what I'm saying?" He winked, Andromeda tried to stop herself from getting angry; _of course she knew what he was saying, he was saying she was as thick two short wands. But no matter, she refused to let down the family, _Andromeda took a deep calming breath, _she wouldn't disappoint the __family, _she swore to herself.Andromeda offered Lucius a smile, a sign of truce and he grinned back. Bellatrix gave a sharp nod of approval from where she was sat and, with a sigh of relief, Andromeda began to finally relax. 

During the feast Andromeda learnt the names of her fellow room mates, Alison Bulstrode, who had a younger brother the same age as Narcissa; Jennifer Dolohov, who she knew as a family friend; Abigail Haylis; Opal Flint; Amethyst Carrow; Heidi Ketlinton and Martha Jenking.

Ben sat stoically through the event, eating silently, making eye contact with no-one except from a few glances towards Andromeda. Andromeda tried to converse with her fellow Slytherins, they were polite enough, but Andromeda could tell – after her outburst – nobody was keen to become her friend. In the end, Andromeda gave up trying to make conversation and turn her full attention on her food.

Over on the Hufflepuff table however, it was a whole different story. Ted was laughing with the other first year Hufflepuffs all previous worries forgotten. He was sat next to a boy named Lloyd Jones, who had lived in Wales his whole life and had a thick Welsh accent to show it. Across the table sat Ray Ballard, a half-blood boy who was explaining magic to the wide-eyed Ted and Lloyd.

The next few weeks passed quickly for the first years, but, for Andromeda, time seemed to be dragging by. Despite their efforts to accept Andromeda because of her connections, the Slytherin's were quick to give up the attempt. Seeing this Bellatrix too turned against her sister for soiling the family name. Nasty curses were shot at her from behind statues and she was tripping up all to frequently. The only person Andromeda could turn to was Ben, who had a silent demeanour but comforted the distraught Andromeda, he too was being shunned by his class mates – but he told Andromeda he was used to it and that he wouldn't rise to their bait.

As the bulling got worse for Andromeda she could feel herself drawing closer into her shell, her dark eyes were red-rimmed and her face blotchy, however, when the professors asked if there was a problem she denied it; for Slytherins stand alone.

Ted Tonks quickly became weary of Bellatrix Black, after her younger sister's (Andromeda he think her name was) outburst in the Sorting Ceremony, Bellatrix had been hunting him down, determined that the disgrace was all his fault. But Ted had his friends and he didn't let one girl ruin his life, he merely turned a blind eye and enjoyed his time with his best friend Lloyd.

But one day, near the end of his first year, something went terribly wrong; he had heard a soft sobbing coming from down the corridor and told Lloyd to go on without him, Lloyd tried to argue but eventually agreed. Frowning at the noise he turned to find the source. Quickly he realised it was coming from the girl's bathroom, making to turn away Ted saw a flash of a green tie, wild dark hair and cruel fathomless eyes in the nearby classroom. He knew her, it was Bellatrix Black. Trying to creep unheard from the corridor Ted hoped he wouldn't be seen – but it was too late, the damage was done.

"Tonks!" Bellatrix exclaimed, laughing mechanically. Ted inwardly winced, he was no Gryffindor and to be truthful, Bellatrix terrified him. "Come here!" She commanded, meekly Ted did as he was told. "Good boy, now I still haven't punished you properly yet have I?"

"I'm OK, you don't need to do that," Ted tried and in his confusion he thought he saw a small face with untamed dark hair and a red streak down her face peering through the doorway. Bellatrix gave another cruel laugh.

"Don't be silly," she cried, slashing downwards with her wand. At first Ted felt nothing, but a moment later he felt a searing pain down his face, crying out he tried to tell Bellatrix to stop, he begged as she threw a crucio curse at him, he screamed at she tortured him to unconsciousness.

Bellatrix threw a scathing look at the boy slumped on the flaw before throwing open the door and storming out.

Five minutes later, when she was sure the coast was clear Andromeda flew into the room, flinging herself to Ted's side. Desperately she tried to steam the incessant flow of blood, avoiding looking at his paling face.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on," she muttered under her breath, ripping a piece of material from her skirt and trying to tie it tightly around one of his numerous wounds. But it wasn't long before that too was drenched in blood. Mumbling violent curses, she ripped more material from her skirt and used her jumper and tie to try and control the blood flow. Once she was certain she had done all she could to help the boy, Andromeda jumped from his side and sprinted as fast as she could to the matron Madame Dolamore.

"Help, quick, charms classroom, Ted Tonks, hurt," Andromeda tried to explain between breaths, the Matron seemed to understand what she was saying and jogged out of the room faster than Andromeda had thought possible for the old women.

Catching her breath, Andromeda walked slowly out of the hospital wing and it was just her luck that she met Lucius Malfoy, surrounded by his "friends", Vector Crabbe, Edward Florence and Jonathan Greengrass.

"Andromeda!" Lucius exclaimed in a cheerful tone, "How nice to see you,"

"Lucius," Andromeda mumbled, looking down at the floor.

"Now, now, dear look at me," Lucius said with pity in his voice, using his slightly warm hands to raise Andromeda's chin. "Oh dear, that looks sore, darling," he commented, stroking the red gash on Andromeda's face with a rough thumb.

"Shove off," she spat, sucking in her breath.

"No, no, no, that's no way to talk to me now is it? Pray tell me what happened to your pretty face?" Lucius asked with a look of sad concern on his face.

"Bellatrix," Andromeda answered stiffly.

"Ah, shame, it is such a pretty face. And, oh dear what _have _you been up to with a skirt _that_ length?" Lucius raised his eyebrows.

"Nothing," Andromeda grumbled, blushing as she tried to pull down the now indecent length skirt.

"Anderson was it?" Lucius pondered with a dirty grin on his face.

"No it was not Ben!" Andromeda cried, storming away from the four boys.

"That's how I like my girls, hot and dirty," Lucius smirked, the soft chuckles of his cronies surrounding him.

"You're lucky Miss Black came to inform me Mr Tonks," Madame Dolamore told him, helping Ted out of the bed as he left the hospital wing with Lloyd and Ray at his side.

"Bellatrix?" Ted spluttered in shock, he had not told the professors who had done this to him he simply said he had forgotten because of his concussion for he knew telling would merely lead to a bigger problem.

"No, no, it was her sister Andromeda," Dolamore said, fussing around him checking it was certain that he was fine. "You may leave," she acknowledged.

"Thank you, goodbye," Ted waved to the Matron as he left.

On platform nine and three quarters Ted decided to find Andromeda to thank her. After a few minutes of searching he found the curly haired girl.

"Hi, I'm Ted, I just wanted to say thanks for saving me," he grinned, not noticing Andromeda's pale face.

"S'ok," she muttered, scurrying away from him, Ted may have questioned this behaviour but he was too excited about seeing his family again to bother about it.

"What were you doing with that Mudblood scum?" Cygnus seethed, glaring at his daughter.

"N-nothing," Andromeda stuttered.

"I'll show you what nothing does when we get home!" Cygnus spat before grabbing Andromeda's arm and wheeling her out of the platform with Bellatrix following gleefully behind him and Druella clutching Narcissa's hand.

**A/N – Is that a better length? It's about 5 pages here so I hope so! This will be what the first 6 years at Hogwarts will be like and then I will go into a lot more detail on the seventh. I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review!**


	3. Second Year

**Chapter 3 – Second Year**

Andromeda's summer had been abhorrent, after Cygnus and Druella had seen Ted speaking to Andromeda at Platform 9 ¾ they had immediately assumed that they had been conversing all year and their wrath was almost unbearable. Bellatrix had been no help what-so-ever, always making snide comments about how she had no friends in Slytherin and always looked so pathetic.

"You will not talk to, think about or even look at any Mudbloods this year, understand?" Druella snarled in her daughters ear as she smiled sweetly.

"Yes Mother." Andromeda replied meekly.

"And if your Mother and I even have a wisp of evidence that you may even be considering doing any of those things you shall be punished," Cygnus breathed anger evident in his tone.

"Yes Father." Andromeda complied.

"Good child, now, avoid that half-blood boy you have made acquaintances with too," Druella ordered.

"Mother, there is no need to worry about that, for here he comes now; it is a perfect time to put him in his place," Bellatrix cackled.

"Perfect," Cygnus snarled.

"Ben," Andromeda greeted, as the boy walked up to her.

"Hullo Andromeda, hullo Sir; Madame; Bellatrix; Narcissa," Ben nodded his head to each family member in turn.

"Do not talk to me, filth," Bellatrix growled, spitting at Ben's feet. Ben stared, stunned, silently asking Andromeda for an explanation.

"Ben, I cannot talk to you any more." Andromeda's dark eyes were sparkling with tears threatening to spill.

"Oh, okay..." Ben shifted uneasily from foot to foot before wandering back to his parents, with only Andromeda noticing the slight drag of his feet. At first Andromeda felt angry; he had just left! Just like that, not wanting any explanation, not arguing, just accepting. Then her angry was spiked with guilt; she had done that to him, she should have fought for him, the down cast expression he was now wearing was all _her _fault. Finally an overwhelming sadness dispersed inside her; she had just lost her only friend, the only person who actually cared for her, who actually believed in her, who actually listened to her had been lost. All those wasted owl journeys, all those now pointless conversations were worth nothing, they had meant nothing. Nothing, that was what everything meant now – she was nothing, he was nothing, just plain nothing. The emptiness which filled up inside Andromeda made her face fall, her mask of indifference was broken as the tears trickled down her pale cheeks.

"Stop that you stupid child," Druella scolded, pushing Andromeda towards the train. "He meant nothing to you, he was just a worthless half-blood."

_Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. _The word kept playing over in Andromeda's head, over and over again, dancing in front of her closed eyelids, tickling her conscious mind, triggering dull throbbing headaches. _Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing._ There was nothing left to work for, nobody to care for, nobody to turn to.

Months passed as Andromeda slipped through daily life in a hurt haze, she barely saw Ben and when she did she would never acknowledge him. Andromeda's grades began to slip, but she ignored this, uncaring – what was the point, her family hated her, she had pushed away her only friend and she was alone now. Not even Lucius Malfoy bothered her.

If Ben had still been talking to her he may have noticed the changes in Andromeda, but nobody else cared enough to look for them. So it did not matter that little Andromeda Black had dark circles under her eyes, even though she was in bed as soon as her homework was done, it did not matter that her weight had begun to decrease until her waist was less than slim, it did not matter that she had hardly used her voice all year – nothing mattered.

The professors did not notice any of this, her grades were simply pushed aside; seen as a smaller problem in the larger world – it was assumed she had just been overwhelmed by the new workload.

Bellatrix may have noticed, but even if she did she did not care; for she had a new play toy. Ted Tonks was increasingly popular this year – he had an easy going smile and while he was not top in his year he was he was near enough to be a pleasing student. Although Ted's calm and happy demeanour said otherwise, he had now become Bellatrix's permanent target.

The fair headed boy sat through many nights in the Hufflepuff common room with seventh years healing his wounds, for he was terrified to go to a teacher for fear that Bellatrix would find out. His fellow Hufflepuffs became protective of him, wishing Bellatrix wouldn't do this to their friend.

Although the Hufflepuffs couldn't stop Bellatrix, her sister was a different matter all together. Ted tried to stop them, explaining what had happened last year but the Hufflepuffs dismissed it as an act to save her sister. So that was when – to Andromeda – Hufflepuff became the darkest house in Hogwarts.

Andromeda soon learnt Hogwarts was not a place of magic, it was a place of violence and spite, nobody cared, nobody listened. She turned a blind eye to Bellatrix's treatment of Ted, he had placed her in so much trouble over the holidays it wasn't worth it – nothing was.

With every nothing Andromeda began to deteriorate more, ceaseless, sleepless nights passed, but they meant nothing. The regular drum beat now etched into her head, the drum beat of pain, the drum beat of insanity. The drum beat of _Nothing_.

_A/N – Okay I know this was stupidly short, but I really wanted to get across how Andromeda is feeling. I have four more chapters like this then I will get into the proper story. Please review, criticism is welcome – I will find a way to make it constructive, even if it's not :). _

_It would be really great if I could reach 15 reviews. ;)_


	4. Third Year

**Third Year**

"Narcissa, do you have everything you need?" Druella asked, as her youngest daughter stood with her head held high and white blonde hair rippling down her back.

"Yes mother," she replied, a stoic mask on her face.

"Good child." Her mother's smile bared down on the young child as Bellatrix said a swift goodbye before stalking off onto the train.

"Now Andromeda, you be good this year – do the same as last year, I was pleased with your progress," Cygnus had turned to the middle child who was stood slightly slouched and dishevelled.

"Yes father," she answered, but inside she was roaring with indignity.

"Yes is right, now goodbye." Cygnus placed a hand on Andromeda's shoulder before withdrawing it turning towards Narcissa.

Andromeda heaved her trunk towards the train, ignoring everybody around her. Therefore it was a surprise when she felt her trunk being taken from her hands, looking up she saw Lucius Malfoy.

"What a pleasant surprise Miss Black," he greeted.

"Not really." Andromeda snarled, turning her back to Lucius and climbing onto the train.

"Always the voice of delight," Lucius drawled sarcastically.

"Always the voice of the person I don't want to talk to." Andromeda replied, trying to get away from Lucius, but he blocked her way.

"Now, now, that is no way to talk to your fellow Slytherin is it?" He reprimanded.

"Oh, I apologise I meant to say, I'm sorry but I do not like you, I do not like your hair and I hate your stupid voice so please move out of my way!" Andromeda had always become infuriated quickly around Lucius but today she could not stand him.

"After you," he motioned, gesturing into the train, his eyes rolling in disgust with her behaviour.

"Thank you." Andromeda snapped.

Tears ran down Andromeda's face as she locked herself in one of the train toilets; _"Now Andromeda, you be good this year – do the same as last year, I was pleased with your progress.". _Her father didn't care how she lived her life, so long as she didn't talk to muggleborns and half-bloods – he didn't care if she was happy. She couldn't face another year of nothing, another year of loneliness. So what if she talked to muggleborns and half-bloods? It might at least mean she was happy.

_No! _She cannot think like that, she can't afford it. She pushed all of those thoughts out of her head and, after washing the tear stains from her face, walked from the toilets – into what seemed like the middle of a battle field.

Bellatrix was laughing deliriously, shooting hexes at a fair headed Hufflepuff boy. Andromeda recognised him as Ted Tonks, the boy she had saved in first year. Gryffindor's had come to help defend the boy against the malicious Slytherins.

"Stop your sister!" One of them shouted, Andromeda felt her heart reaching out to the boy on the floor. But she wasn't a Slytherin for nothing, self preservation meant more to her than saving the Hufflepuff boy, let the Gryffindors save him. She walked away, pretending not to notice the fight.

That was Andromeda's big mistake.

From that moment Andromeda knew she had been made an enemy of Gryffindor house. As the school year passed the Gryffindors began to lash out more and more at Andromeda, every time Bellatrix lay a wand of Ted the Gryffindors would turn on Andromeda.

Ted tried half-heartedly to stop the Gryffindors but he knew he wouldn't be listened to. Andromeda grew steadily more and more unbalanced. Losing more and more weight. Her mind became slowly more and more damaged.

"Hey Black," Lucius stood in front of the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

"Malfoy," Andromeda answered curtly, her voice hoarse and her throat raw.

"You look ill," Lucius stated.

"Thank you, now go away." Andromeda tried to growl but winced in pain.

"You should get something for that throat," Lucius advised.

"Why cant you just leave me alone? Everyone else does so what's your problem?" Andromeda shouted, storming past him and running straight into Narcissa.

"Hi," Andromeda said glumly, pushing the tears back into her throat.

"Hi," Narcissa's voice was soft, and when she took her hand Andromeda didn't protest. Nor did she protest when Narcissa lead her out of the common room to an empty classroom, and sat with her until she had cried herself dry.

"Better?" Narcissa asked. Truthfully, Andromeda only felt worse – her throat ached and she had shown so much weakness, but Narcissa's small solemn face framed with white blonde hair was too sweet to refuse.

"Yes," she lied.

"Good." Narcissa said before walking out of the classroom, offering no more comfort.

"Thanks," Andromeda whispered into the silent classroom.

Cold and unforgiving, that was what Pure Bloods were but Andromeda didn't want that. She wanted to be swept off her feet, loved, cared for, she wanted to be listened to, to finally feel carefree. But she would never get that, she knew it. In fifth year she would be told whom she will wed to and her life will become a long corridor of meaningless love and dark arts.

**A/N –**** Yet another short chapter, I promise once I reach seventh year they should be about ****double this length. I just want to give some background into Andromeda's life before she goes into seventh year. Today I had my birthday celebration because I am in school all day and evening on my birthday so it would really mean a lot if you reviewed ;)**


	5. Fourth Year

Fourth Year

Twinny – thank you for alerting me to the problem and thank you for the review ;)

War. The three letter word which could end the world. To Andromeda it had become more and more apparent that war was approaching. Lord Voldemort, a being whom Andromeda had never heard of was becoming a constant presence in her life. A looming shadow, ready to devour her as he had all the muggles. Because this was only the brewing of the war, many families could live in denial, ignorant to the growing darkness. But not the Blacks. Andromeda's parents were adamant to join Lord Voldemort on his hunt of ridding the world of "filth" as they put it. Bellatrix was delighted about the idea of joining him, licking her lips with lust whenever his name was brought up. It made Andromeda sick.

This year curses were thrown with malice, Bellatrix now had a purpose, a goal. Not only that but she had been informed of who she would marry. This was a tradition for the Blacks, at the age of fifteen you would be told of your arranged marriage; therefore, you would have been given time to get to know – and hopefully fall for – each other. Andromeda particularly hated this tradition, she hated every male member of the family and the thought of spending the rest of her life with one of them disgusted her. Bellatrix however, accepted the tradition with pride and now she knew of her impending life with Rodolphus she spent all her time with him. This too made Andromeda want to vomit. Whether it was them getting cozy in a corner of the common room or throwing curses together, she couldn't stand it. It wasn't that Andromeda was protective of Bellatrix, it was the fact that Bellatrix was becoming more and more unreachable. Taking drastic risks to learn dark arts, it scared Andromeda.

But what did it matter if Andromeda was scared? Who cared?

The Gryffindors had returned this year with more vengeance, they knew Bellatrix was unreachable but Andromeda was not.

"That was for my brother," a dark haired Gryffindor hissed as he threw a hex at Andromeda. But she no longer cared, vaguely she wondered what would happen if she just sat here and slowly bled until she died. Surely no-one would mind?

"Black!" Came a hushed whisper, a sense of urgency about his voice. Andromeda didn't know who it was, her lids felt so heavy, the prospect of dying felt so welcoming.

"Black, wake up. Don't die on me, please, I owe you this." It was the same urgent whisper, and slowly Andromeda's eyes blinked open to see a mob of fair hair. Instantly she knew who he was. It was Ted Tonks.

"You don't owe me," Andromeda replied drowsily, the urge to go to sleep, to die, was overwhelming but she needed him to understand; she wanted him to understand, he didn't owe her. Nobody owed her, she had been nothing but a mere annoyance to everyone she knew. She wasn't dark enough to be evil, but not kind enough to be good. She wasn't anything. You cannot owe somebody who is a nobody.

"You saved my life and I have done nothing to repay you." Ted contradicted.

"Leave me, here comes Lucius, he can sort me out." Andromeda dismissed, because although Lucius was approaching that wasn't the reason she wanted him to leave. She despised Ted, he was so firmly good, you could see it by merely glancing his way. His path was so clearly laid out in front of him that Andromeda was jealous. He knew where his loyalties lay, he had no doubt but he still wanted to help her. Not because they were friends, not because she was on his side in the war, not because he would earn something from it but because it was the right thing to do.

"Andromeda?" Lucius voice was above her now, "Gryffindors?" he questioned. Andromeda gave a nod causing Lucius to sigh. Everyone in Slytherin knew of the Gryffindor's treatment to Andromeda, some labelled her as weak, some laughed at her misfortune but, whatever their view, when they saw a fellow Slytherin lying in a corridor injured, they help.

In the pristine cleanliness of the hospital wing, Andromeda stared blankly at the ceiling. Lucius had left after about a quarter of an hour, getting bored of trying to get Andromeda to go out with him and leaving her with the sentence,

"Oh well, maybe we will find out we are meant for each other next year anyway." Floating around her head.

Lucius was the last person she would want to marry, he wasn't a person to stick with one girl he was a player. Just like Narcissa. Although Andromeda didn't approve of it, she let Narcissa and her many boyfriends be, she didn't even know the name of her current one but it didn't matter. No relationships matter to pure bloods until you find out your arranged partner.

War. Arranged marriages. Curses. Dark arts.

They were the thoughts that tumbled around Andromeda's head as she fell asleep, fully aware they would be haunting her for the rest of her fourth year.

**A/N-**** Again, it's short but you know the reason for that. Could I possibly get to 20 reviews? Please? It is nearly Easter, so hopefully then I wont have so much work and will be able to reach seventh year. **


	6. Fifth Year

Year 5

Twinny – Thank you for the review! Xxx

"Do you want to sit with me?" Andromeda asked the young boy who stood near her, ignoring his parents.

"Nah, I want to annoy my parents; might go find some Gryffindors to talk to," from any other member of her family Andromeda would have thought this was a joke but this was Sirius.

Sirius was Andromeda's favourite cousin by far, she had always felt very protective of Sirius – they stuck together, both outcasts: him by choice and she had just ended up like that. He normally attained a cool, calm manner in the presence of his parents but Andromeda knew him as a prankster who lived to laugh and that was how she liked him.

"Okay but if you can't find anyone I will probably be somewhere where there aren't many others," Andromeda nodded and Sirius winked cheekily at her.

"Great, I can't have someone else marrying you before I'm old enough can I now?" he asked, flicking his long curls over his shoulder.

"I'll wait." Andromeda laughed in the first time in what felt like an eternity but felt her stomach sink. She knew who she would marry and it wasn't Sirius. It was Antonin Dolohov, seventh year Slytherin. Great.

"Oh, look it's the Potters!" Sirius exclaimed in excitement.

"And? We don't know them," Andromeda frowned.

"Now my little Andy, you must learn this lesson from cousin Sirius. You want to be a blood traitor; you want to disappoint your parents; you want to annoy the Slytherin out of them; you be-friend some of the biggest blood traitors around. The Potters." Sirius nodded with a comical expression on his face making Andromeda laugh again.

"All right, kid, I'll see you around," Andromeda smirked.

"I am not a kid!" Sirius predictably exploded.

"Bye," was all that Andromeda said as she left Sirius so he could find some Gryffindors.

"I think that's the first time I've seen you laugh," a voice commented from behind her.

"Don't get used to it," Andromeda scowled at Lucius Malfoy who leaned casually against the doorway onto the train.

"Believe me, I wont." He said, pulling Andromeda's trunk into the train and letting her pass.

Andromeda continued tugging her trunk through the train peering into the compartments for a vaguely empty compartment.

"See ya Snivellus!" It was Sirius' voice, Andromeda sped up and ended up running into a red headed girl. Even with a tear streaked face, she was very pretty. Her fiery hair fell in waves to her shoulders and her eyes – puffy from tears – were deep emerald in colour and the delicate almond shapes were surrounded with long lashes which fluttered as she seethed with anger.

Behind her however was her complete opposite. He had the school robes on already and his hair surrounded his face like greasy curtains, his eyes were dark pools hat flashed with embarrassment. Whilst her skin was livened by a smattering of freckles his was a white pasty colour – it was obvious he didn't see much sun.

Andromeda, however, didn't like to judge people by their looks.

"Are you okay?" She asked, worried by the flushed anger in their faces.

"Yes, we're fine thank you." The girl replied, gripping the boy's wrist tightly and pulling him up the train in search of a new compartment.

"Andy!" It was Sirius again, he was sitting inside the compartment talking in amusement with a boy next to him.

"Hi, can I sit with you? There is nowhere else." She questioned and Sirius waved her in.

"Andy, this is James Potter, he wants to be in Gryffindor like his dad," Sirius' grey eyes twinkled with mischief and Andromeda had to suppress a smirk. "James, this is my cousin Andromeda, she's in Slytherin but I promise you she's decent."

"Decent, is that the best you could give me?" Andromeda laughed as she nodded hello to James. He reminded her of Sirius, he had the same prankster twinkle in his hazel eyes but other than that in looks they were completely different. While Sirius cared about his long dark hair to a point of vanity James' dark hair had a quality of cool nonchalance. It was wind swept and ruffled, for all Andromeda knew he could have run all the way to the station; his cheeks were slightly pink in a way that Black's could never replicate, he looked healthy, happy and well-cared for to the point of spoilt.

"Sorry Andy, you are a Slytherin," Sirius winked before turning to James and discussing their looming adventure. Andromeda pulled her trunk into the overhead compartments and searched in it until she located her book.

The year for Andromeda was something of a miracle. Everything seemed to have been turned on it's head. Andromeda no longer felt obliged to please her parents; she was sick of doing things for them. The war shows people in new lights and it seems to have enlightened the Andromeda with a backbone. When Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor Andromeda clapped. When Bellatrix tried to hex him she stood in the way.

No longer were the Gryffindors bullying her, they had found a new found respect for the Black girl. There were times when they even helped her in standing up to Bellatrix, she wouldn't say they were friends but allies seemed a better way to describe them.

Andromeda had chosen her side, she would not bow to the power of Lord Voldemort, she would fight. She would not join the so-called Death Eaters. But this new found knowledge came with consequences. Almost every week Andromeda was in the hospital wing, not for illness or wounds sustained from the Gryffindors but for injuries applied by the Slytherins. Her house had turned on her.

And little did Andromeda know that this new side of her was gaining the attention of a certain fair-headed boy.

**A/N**** – Sorry for the wait, I have had really bad writers block so if you are reading any of my other stories I will try and update soon! We are getting nearer the proper story now! Yay! Please review? And thank you for the lovely reviews I have received so far! **


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